Newcastle United finally banished their travel woes with a commanding 4-1 victory over Everton at Goodison Park, securing their first away win of the season in emphatic style.
Flying Start Seals Victory
Eddie Howe's side exploded out of the blocks, taking control of the match within the opening minutes and never looking back. The Magpies established their dominance early, continuing their impressive record of scoring six goals in the first 30 minutes of Premier League matches this season.
Defender Malick Thiaw needed just 55 seconds to open the scoring, rising above Michael Keane to power home a header from a corner. The early goal immediately silenced the home crowd and set the tone for Newcastle's dominant performance.
The visitors doubled their advantage on 25 minutes when Lewis Miley capitalised on defensive chaos in Everton's penalty area. After three Everton players failed to clear their lines, Miley's shot somehow slipped through Jordan Pickford, leaving James Tarkowski visibly furious with his goalkeeper.
Selection Decisions Pay Dividends
Howe's bold team selection proved inspired, with the manager dropping both Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon from the starting lineup. Lewis Miley rewarded his manager's faith by scoring his first goal of the season, while Anthony Elanga delivered a standout performance on the right wing.
Elanga, who had been restricted to substitute appearances in Newcastle's previous four Premier League games, was arguably the best player on the pitch. The winger demonstrated his quality by outmuscling Tim Iroegbunam before providing a perfectly weighted pass for Nick Woltemade to chip Pickford beautifully just before half-time.
The third goal effectively killed the contest, transforming the atmosphere from feverish to funereal as Newcastle headed into the break with a commanding 3-0 lead.
Everton's Midfield Struggles
Everton sorely felt the absence of suspended midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye, who was serving a ban following his red card against Manchester United. David Moyes's side looked vulnerable throughout, particularly on the counter-attack and through the centre of midfield.
Gueye's replacement, Tim Iroegbunam, started brightly but quickly faded and was culpable in Newcastle's second and third goals. Moyes recognised the issue and substituted the young midfielder at half-time, bringing on Carlos Alcaraz, who later hit the crossbar with a powerful long-range effort.
The consolation goal arrived in the 70th minute when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall took advantage of generous defending from Thiaw and Tino Livramento to slot home. However, any hopes of an unlikely comeback were extinguished when Thiaw completed his brace with another header in the 58th minute, twisting the knife in Everton's wounds.
Goalkeeper Change and VAR Drama
Newcastle's goalkeeping situation attracted attention before kick-off, with Aaron Ramsdale making his first Premier League start for the club after Nick Pope suffered a groin injury. The England international had a relatively comfortable afternoon, though he nearly gifted Everton a chance with a sloppy pass to Bruno Guimaraes under pressure from Dewsbury-Hall in the first half.
For Everton, striker Thierno Barry's search for a goal continued as he extended his drought to 15 games. The £27million Frenchman thought he had broken his duck with a spectacular half-volley past Pickford, but VAR intervened to rule it out for handball - the second time this season technology has denied him a goal after a previous offside decision against Fulham.
The comprehensive victory provides Newcastle with renewed confidence as they prepare to face Tottenham on Tuesday, while Everton must address their midfield issues ahead of Chelsea's visit, with Gueye unavailable until after the Africa Cup of Nations concludes on January 18.
